Customer relationship management (CRM) software is one of the most fundamental enterprise tools there is. Enterprise-sized companies have more customers than can be managed by one person. Even with a team of people, they cannot be managed without the aid of computers running powerful database applications. You might be wondering what any of this has to do with you. It might be a long time before your company has 500 to 1,000 employees. You might not even aspire for your company to get that large. So why should you be interested in enterprise tools?
The simple fact is small businesses can greatly benefit from scaled-down enterprise tools. You have a lot in common with large businesses. After all, they were small businesses before they were big businesses. One of the things held in common by different-sized companies is that they all have customers. Real estate professionals, coaches, and legal professionals also have contacts and relationships that need nurturing and a CRM strategy can help with that as well.
In the past, solopreneurs made a point of remembering every client’s name and details about their lives. Those days are long behind us. Today, we can do even better. Here are a handful of reasons why even your small business should have some type of CRM strategy in place.
Your Memory Is Better Used for Other Things
A person who can remember every detail about all their clients might not be doing the most demanding job in the world. A lawyer is not one of those people. If you are in the legal field, you could definitely benefit from a law firm CRM to help you keep up with the details that don’t need to be taking up space in your brain. No one can remember everything. Even people with photographic memories have limits. As a lawyer, you will soon run into those limits if you don’t offload some of that client information into a capable database that can be quickly recalled and deployed at a moment’s notice.
Once you have that database, you will be able to add tools such as document automation to make the work go even smoother than before. Whether you are filing documents or representing someone in court, having a command of the small details is crucial. In court, a pen and notepad are two of your best friends. A CRM solution on a laptop can be an even better friend.
For Better Work/Life Balance
In some places, the norm is a 4-day workweek. That means you will not be spending as much time with leads and sales inquiries. You will have to learn to unplug from work and clear your mind of the demands of your labor. That sales conversation you had on Thursday will be a foggy blur when you come back to work on Monday. They won’t remember what they said to you either. That is where a good CRM solution comes in handy.
You don’t need to rely on your memory or do a lot of extra work during your downtime to get things ready for the big call. When all of the information you need is stored in a CRM, you will have instant access to the results and notes from your call history. You will be able to reconnect when asking about the kids by name, the soccer match, the new house, and all the details that turn sales calls into human connections. Don’t go over those details when you should be focusing on your own kids. Leave it for the CRM.
For the New Hires
When you hire a new salesperson, you need more than the best training tools and guidelines. They will need to be brought up to speed on the client accounts they will be taking over. They need to understand how to manage virtual business relationships in a productive way. You will be doing them a disservice if you relied on your excellent memory to keep track of the crucial details and interactions. The new person does not have the benefit of that experience. And you can’t just fill them in on what you know two minutes before the call. CRM is vital not just for you, but for the people who will work for you down the road.
CRM is not just for big business. Use it in any size business to free up mental cycles, obtain a better work/life balance, and get new employees quickly up to speed.
